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Old 12th September 2020, 03:36 PM   #5
Jim McDougall
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Route 66
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Thank you very much Will! That was the exact clue I needed!
In looking at this sword linked, it was such an odd pattern I had not seen such a hilt. I found an article, "An Unusual Sword in the Royal Armouries" by Philip Lankester ('Arms & Armour" Royal Armouries Vo.1, #1, 2004) in which one of these, but with lion head (p.56, #11) is shown. It has the same guard with alternating quillons. This sword (identified by the late AVB Norman) apparently belonged to George Heathfield who formed the 15th Light Dragoons in 1759. It is at Royal Collection, Windsor Castle (RCIN 61509, Laking #874).

In this article, it is noted that Jeffries, who worked in the Strand at corner of Villiers Street from 1739-until succeeded by Drury in 1772, in 1759 produced a number of basket hilt swords for the cavalry, several thousand actually, but these were used by the 'heavy cavalry, dragoon regts).
He also produced a number of swords of this tall olive pommel form with this four slot guard for other ranks.
About 140 of these survive at Belvoir Castle in Leicestershire (one also at Royal Armouries, IX 2130, purchased 1981).
The author states it is unclear which regiments used this 'pattern' .

It is known that the tests for creating light dragoon units similar to Hungarian cavalry took place in 1756, and were successful so it was proposed to begin these units in 1759. The swords used for the 'test' were light sabers with brass heart shaped guards (bilobate form as earlier hangers).

As has been noted, the 15th Light Dragoons were created in 1759, the same year Jeffries produced an undetermined number of this 'pattern' sword, so it is quite plausible that the 15th received a number of them.
It would appear that the clipped tip blades noted, as on this example, were indeed made in England by Jeffries and later others, and copied from the German types.

By 1773, the 15th had adopted stirrup hilts (flat knucklebow guard), so we know these early four slot guard forms were from c. 1759-70s. The later examples had two branches out of the knuckleguard, putting this example in probably 1759 if by Jeffries, to 1760s .
It is not possible with pitting to see blade marks which would show Jeffries
EFRIS under crown.
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